. . . Mayer gives us a full range of approaches: he plays it stately and elegant, as in Bach's Italian Cantata BWV 209 . . . but also lives up to the athletic demands of the instrument, as in the finale to the Concerto for oboe, strings and continuo, which combines themes from Cantatas BWV 105, 170 and 49. Joining Mayer throughout is The English Concert, one of Europe's finest baroque orchestras, as well as the choir Trinity Baroque, all contributing to an appealing collection that breathes new life into Bach's work.